Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1887-03-10

nal, had announced y ~ -
aesvoriss a,s ,misS'ion 10 ,,,Sd.sss Of en-. s(S
Rome through II In ID
hts fight with the ca e. ~
madam knights The 9&<2yld'2gT
| position taken by Car WYNN my"
dinal Gibbons, they CARDINAL gfpBoSs
say, will settle the whole matter He Is nm
especial favoritc with the Pope, and his nd
vice as TO the treatment OF any matter In
which the United States IN concerned will
IL Is declared, be taken as II IL given.
| In addition, Bishop Keane, of Richmond
and Bishop ireland, of st. Paul, who are
both friendly TO the knights, and who are
recognized Mt Rome as representing the
more progressive element IN the American
hierarchy, are with Cardinal Gibbons 10
support him In the position which he takes.
| Cardinal Gibbons Is In position 10 speak
more intcliigcnuy OF the principles OF the
knights than any other churchman. Before
leaving for Rome he carefully examined tho
manual OF the order. He also held a long
| conference with Master Workman Pow,
dcrly, whom he regards as n devout and
| and conservative Catholic. His present
! position is the result of his investigation.
IL IN said in clerical circles that the knights
had powerful enemies within the Vatican.
| Many OF the Cardinals thought the order 10
| be OF character similar 10 the secret so
cieties OF Italy and SPAN, and opposed it
Tho followingi ms the CARDINALS letter 10
the Propaganda:
| To His Emincnce, Cardinal Simconi Project Of
inc Holy Congregation OF the Propaganda.
| Your EMIHENCF-Tn submitting TO the Holy
| See tho conclusions which after several months
OF observation and deep reflection, seem 10 me
20 sum up the question Of the association OF tho
knights OF Labor, L am strongly convinced OF
inc vast importance Of this question, which
forms but one ring In the great chain OF the 40
ciai problem of our day. and especially OF our
country. In judging this question have taken
great care TO use as my constant guide the spirit
oi th" oncyclicals In which Holy Father
Pope Leo Kill. has 80 admirably exposed the
dangers OF cur time and their remedies and has
galdsd IN a,s,ipg,sh,ns ipn,ss ~ wnicn We shall be
demned by the Holy See. Such also were INC
guides OF the third Pienary Council OF baltimore
IN It's teachings about the principle 10 be fol.
lowed and tho dangers 70 be avoided by the
faithful in the formation OF associations toward
strongly impcis. Considering the fatal conse
quences that might result through an error An
tne treatment OF the organizations, which often
count their numbers by thousands and hundreds
OF thousands the council wisely ordered that
when an association has sprcad into several
condemn ~, but must refer the case 10 The pcr.
Inanent commission of all the Archbishops OF
the United States who In their turn are not
authorized 20 issue condemnation. unless their
decision ~ unanimous. and in default OF such
unanimity only the Holy See itself can impose
such condemnation. 20 that error and con
fusion IN ecclesiastical discipline can be avoided
The commission of Archbishops met toward
The end OF the month of October last 20 espe-
cially consider the association of the knights
OF Labor We were not led 10 hold this uect
Ing by any request on the part OF the Bishops
for none OF them did demand e. and n must he
addcd that of all the Bishops only two or three
were known TO desire the condemnation. hut
the estimation Of the Holy See. made us oS. M
anime IL with greatest care. After our discus
communicated 10 the Holy Congregation Of the
Propnganda, only two out of twelve of the
Archoishops voted for the condcmnation---ihst
is 70 say, the Archbishop OF 81. Louis and the
Archbishop of Santa Fo who followed suit-for
reasons which In no wav persuaded the others
either BY the justice or prudence OF such acon-
demnation. In the considerations which follow
wish To give IN detail the reasons which de
termincd the vote OF the great majority of the
commission, the truth and force of when do not
seem 70 me less powerful to-day. ~ the same
time viii try 70 do Justice 10 the arguments
advanced by the opposition party.
First-Although there may be found Ia the
constitution. the bylaws aud oficial declaration
OF the knights Of Labor certain assertions or
have not found therein the elements which the
tory, and the formula Of their organization con
tains neither oath nor obligation which pre-
ciudcs those who 90 not belong 20 II, or even
with their affairs. Catholics arc not forbldden
70 divulge everything 70 competent ecclssiastI-
cal authorities, even outside Of the Confessional
This has been especially aimed 10 ~ by their
onicers, no promise Of blind obedience IL re-
qnired The objects Of the associaiion ana its
rules are well and distinctly established and
the obligations Of obedlenoe 10 not frespass
their limits Not only their object and fheif
w.
but the very contrary. The third p1enary C0un.
ell forbids That We should condemn any assOcia-
,soa ION wihont giving y, oincers or represenla-
puts No 25I Their Master Workman N send.
ing me copy of their constitution, took ocea.
fully aud receives the sacrnmcnts regularly;
that he belongs 70 no Masonic association or ~
any other otherwise condemned by me church
that ~ knows ~ nothing In the society 81
the knights % Labor contrary 70 regulation
of the church, and win nfiai sui5rnission
~ he %.
Inc aii the details of their organization and
says II they find therein anything reprehensible
to have the proper notifications made. A.
suTcdly THIS does MOI look ike hostility toward
The authority o. me church, but on ne eontra.
~ = perfectly laudabig spirit.
After tncIr convention Ia Richmond last year
NAM Of their most zealous officers and Catho-
lic members made the same declarations 70
Rarding their sentiments. As Tor the proceed.
ings Of the convention themselves which we
expect soon 70 fcccive) we can no more find
therein any hostility ~ the church or 10 the laws
% the land Not only their constitution and
h.a6s - e,,,r si,i t,.t ,,'s, "a -
cause they represent With the greatest respect
The President of ne United states tod me
der consideration a law tending % remedy cer.
tain social grievances. and that he had iusi had
Master Workman of the knights of LABOR On
the subject The Congress of he United
states. following ne adsioe Of the President 3,
now considering measures leading - amffi0fafe
the condition of me working class fhf fs.snda
tiCn for many ~ whose eompiatnts - openly
acknowledged. And the political parties. Oar
from looking upon them - encmies - the coun-
try vie With each other % obtain for them the
rights they are ~ clearly entitled 10. for ID h .
fact wen known nat the poor toiisrs have
inclination 70 resist % break the laws Of the
land. y out simply % obtain equitable cg1sla-
fion by constitutional and legilimats means
And those considerations. which show that me
organization does not contain anv ~ the eie
mcnte which The Holy Soc condemns. bring ua
face 20 lace with the evils the society Il com
batting and the real nature of the cof.nict TLere
exist ~ our country. - IN al Others social
grievances which are grave ard monacing. pnb
nc iniusficea which alike require Arm resist.
ance and legal remedies. ali of which none
would 0ainsay. ard the trath ~ which has al
ready been admitted 81 Congress and the presl-
dent ~ che United States.
without entering into the painful "details ~
thOse stc ugs--ihe present occasion not requir-